The Power of Volcanoes

The Power of Volcanoes

(1) The word volcano comes from Vulcan, the name of the ancient Roman god of fire. (2) A volcano occurs when hot, melted rock called magma breaks through the earth's crust. (3) I once saw a volcano erupt when I was on vacation in Hawaii. (4) When magma comes out on the surface of the earth and it is called lava. (5) Hot lava and ash often explode out of volcanoes, sometimes causing a lot of destruction.

(6) There are four basic types of volcanoes. (7) Shield volcanoes have broad, gentle slopes. (8) Cindercone volcanoes are pointed, kind of like pyramids. (9) Strato-volcanoes have many lairs of rock formed by hardened lava and ash from previous eruptions. (10) Dome volcanoes were shaped like steep mounds and are the result of slow-flowing lava.

(11) Whatever the type, volcanoes happen in places where the plates of the earth's crust touch each other. (12) There are many active volcanoes all over the world. (13) Some is in the United States, in places like Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii. (14) Some volcanoes are even under water, far below the surface of the ocean.

(15) When volcanoes erupt, they can change many things. (16) They can add height to mountains and even form new islands. (17) In Iceland, the island of Surtsey was formed by an erupting volcano in 1963. (18) Volcanoes can also collapse mountains. (19) At Crater Lake in Oregon, where a volcano collapsed a mountain, forming the deepest lake in the United States. (20) No matter their type or effects, everyone must agree that volcanoes are very powerful.

2. Which sentence does not belong in paragraph 1?

a. Sentence 1
b. Sentence 4
c. Sentence 3
d. Sentence 5

3. Which of the following is the best version of sentence 13?

a. Some is in the United States, in places like Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii
b. Some were in the United States, in places like Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii
c. Some was in the United States, in places like Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii
d. Some are in the United States, in places like Washington, Colorado, and Hawaii

4. Which spelling change is needed in sentence 9?

a. Change volcanoes to volcanos
b. Change previous to pervious
c. Change eruptions to erupshuns
d. Change lairs to layers

5. What revision, if any, is needed in sentence 4?

a. No revision is needed
b. Replace and with a comma
c Insert a comma before and
d. Replace and with a semicolon

Questions 6 - 10 pertain to the following passage:

Down on the Farm

(1) On the day of the field trip, our classroom was buzzing with excitement. (2) Finally, the time came to get on the bus. (3) I watched out the window as big buildings slipped by, then houses and then fields. (4) The bus turned down a long, gravel driveway and stopped by a big red barn. (5) We were at the farm!

(6) We learned that Farmer Jones and his wife grew corn and pumpkins and raised cows and chickens. (7) First, we took a tour of the farm. (8) They had several farm workers to help take care of the farm. (9) Farmer Jones and his wife also have a small market where they sold there crops and some crops from other farmers who lived nearby.

(10) I loved walking through the cornfield with the dry stalks rustling above my head. (11) Farmer Jones also let me feed a calf from a bottle, and I loved feeling it suck and tug to get at the milk. (12) When we were done seeing the farm. (13) Farmer Jones took us all up to the market for some fresh, hot corn on the cob. (14) It was so yummy!

(15) When the time came to get back on the bus, no one wanted to leave. (16) We thanked Farmer Jones and headed back to town. (17) I loved visiting the farm and seeing how Farmer Jones lived maybe I will decide to be a farmer someday.

6. Which sentence is the best choice for the first sentence of paragraph 2?

a. Sentence 6
b. Sentence 7
c. Sentence 8
d. Sentence 9

7. What revision, if any, is needed in sentences 12 and 13?

a. No revision is needed
b. Change the period to a semicolon
c. Add Then at the beginning of sentence 13
d. Change the period to a comma

8. What change, if any, is necessary in sentence 17?

a. No change is necessary
b. Insert a comma after lived
c. Insert a period after lived
d. Insert a semicolon and and after lived

9. What revision, if any, is needed in sentences 12 and 13?

a. No revision is needed
b. Change the period to a semicolon
c. Add Then at the beginning of sentence 13
d. Change the period to a comma

10. Which of the following choices is the proper spelling choice for sentence 9?

a. They're
b. There
c. Thier
d. Their